Container

ABSTRACT

In a container for deformable products which, at room temperature, are essentially solid, particularly food products, including a bowl shaped container bottom part for receiving the product, the container bottom part includes in a wall thereof a zone which is more easily deformable than the rest of the wall areas of the container bottom part so that, upon compression of wall sections, the more easily deformable wall zone is bent outwardly to form a passage for air to enter below the product in the container bottom part to facilitate its removal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention resides in a container for products which are essentially solid and slightly deformable at room temperature, particularly for food products, comprising a container bottom part which is essentially a bowl-shaped molded part for containing the products.

Such a container is described in the unpublished European patent application 03 010 270.1. This unpublished European patent application relates mainly to a particular embodiment of the top part of the container, also called the lid. However, the basic design of the container is known from this application.

Containers of this type are used in various embodiments particularly for the packaging of food product, for example, for the storage and presentation of milk, meat and sausage products that is essentially for all solid paste-like and flowable or particulate products on the basis of milk, meat and sausage products.

Certain types of milk, meat, and sausage products which are placed into those containers, packaged and then thermally treated in order to obtain, after the thermal treatment, their final consistency, so that they are solidified in the container into which they have been earlier introduced in a pasty-liquid state. After thermal treatment which may be performed in different ways, the products are solid so that they must be cut by the user for example by a knife. A typical example of such a product which is introduced into the container bottom part in a pasty-liquid state and then thermally treated is the so-called lever pate, which is, particularly in the Scandinavian countries, an essential food product considered to be a sausage product. This lever pate is presented to the users in a solid form as removed from the bottom part of the container for example on the breakfast table so that the consumers can cut off any desired amount using a knife. After the meal, the remaining lever pate which has not been consumed can be returned to the bottom part of the container to be stored in the refrigerator up to the next meal.

A particular problem with the use of products contained in such a container in which the product is first contained in a solid form for cutting is that such products can often not easily be removed for presentation or respectively placement on a support device such as a plate or only by damaging or even destroying the lower container part. The reason herefor is that, after manufacture and thermal treatment or by the addition of means for curing the flowable or particulate product, the product is in firm contact with the inner wall of the container bottom part so that the ambient air pressure effective on the cured product firmly holds the product in the container. Furthermore, there are adhesion forces and other attachment forces in effect between the surface of the container bottom part and the surface of the product because of certain components of the product.

For the removal of the product from the bottom part of the container in such a way that it can be presented on a support plate, sometimes the container is heated in order to reduce the adhesion forces between the inner surface of the container bottom part and the surface of the adjacent product by a partial transfer of the product adjacent the container wall into a plastic or paste-like state so that the product can then be pressed or pulled out of the container bottom using an instrument such as a fork or a knife. This method however is, on one hand, elaborate since the container can be heated only in a water bath or in an oven and, on the other hand, certain products which are contained in such a container are not suitable for partial heating.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a container of the type referred to above, from which the solid product contained therein can be easily removed in a simple manner without tools and without thermal or any other treatment and, after partial use thereof, can be returned to the container bottom part for storing for later repeated reuse without damage to the container during the first and later removal of the product contained in the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a container for deformable products which, at room temperature, are essentially solid, particularly food products, including a bowl-shaped container bottom part for receiving the product, the container bottom part includes in a wall thereof a zone which is more easily deformable than the rest of the wall areas of the container bottom part so that, upon compression of wall sections the more easily deformable wall zone is bent outwardly to form a passage for air to enter below the product in the container bottom part to facilitate its removal.

The advantage of the solution according to the invention resides essentially in that, as a result of the fact that the container bottom part is a bowl-shaped molded part, by the application of a force to certain areas of the container bottom part and the resulting deformation of a first part of the container by the force transfer in the wall of the molded part, other areas of the container bottom part are sufficiently deformed to permit ambient air to enter between the solid product and the inner surface of the molded part or, respectively, the container bottom part, which, as a result of the deformation of the bottom part, subsequently reaches the whole inner surface of the container bottom part. The initialization for this effect however is conditioned on the fact that the remainder of the wall of the container bottom part remains stable with respect to the area which is more easily deformable and which permits the intended inflow of the ambient air between the surface of the solid product and the inner surface of the container bottom part. Without the measure according to the invention, by applying a pressure to certain areas of the wall, only a small deformation, if any, of other areas of the wall could be achieved as a result of the force transfer in the material of the container bottom part, and a release of the surface of the solid product from the surface of the container could not be achieved.

Since, in accordance with the invention, the deformation occurs only by the application of an appropriate outside force to the container bottom part, for example, by the fingers of the user, for example, by compressing the container between the pointing finger and the thumb, the solid product can be removed from the container or from the bottom part of the container without tools and without damaging or destroying the container bottom part.

In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the easily deformable area of the wall is so shaped that, with the application of a suitable force to the outside of the container, it can be at least elastically deformed. An elastic deformation, in this connection means, that the container bottom part, after the application of a force to the container bottom part for example between the pointing finger and the thumb of the user, returns automatically to its original undeformed shape, particularly also the area which is easily deformable. With the easy deformability of the area as a result of its design and the material used for the container bottom part, after termination of the application of forces to the container bottom part, a return of all areas or zones of the container bottom part to the undeformed rest- or respectively, initial shape of the container bottom part is ensured.

Basically, however, it is also possible to make the easier deformable zone of the wall such that, after the first force application in the way described above, it is deformed non-elastically and remains in that shape so that the solid product, if it is very sticky can be easily removed for later use.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the at least one area of the wall is made easily deformable with respect to the rest of the wall by a reduced wall thickness. As indicated earlier, it is possible, in principle, to provide the easier deformable zone of the wall by design features that is, as described already as being advantageous, by a smaller thickness of that wall area of the container bottom part in comparison with the rest of the wall. However, the easier deformability can also be achieved in that for example the material is modified in the easier deformable area with respect to the rest of the wall, or by a combination of a reduced wall thickness the use of materials for this zone which are different from those used for the rest of the wall.

If, for example, the better deformability is obtained by a thinner wall of the respective zone, it is advantageous if the wall thickness of the thinner wall is about 50% of that of the thicker wall areas. Preferably, the thinner wall area has a wall thickness in the range of about 30 to 70% of the thicker wall area. The reduction of the wall thickness for the easier deformable zone may be selected depending on the size of the lower container part, the product to be contained therein and the material of which the lower container part consists.

In accordance with another advantageous embodiment of the container the deformability of the easier deformable zone with respect to the rest of the wall of the container bottom part is in the area of 1 mm based on the normal shape of the container. The provision of the deformability in the area of up to about 1 mm is not a limitation usable for any possible application and uses of the container bottom part. Rather this value relates to a possible order of size because, depending on the size of the container bottom part, the material of which it consists, the geometry and the form of the easier deformable zone thereof and also the consistency of the product contained in the container bottom part, for certain constellations, in the sense of the preceding description already a few tenths of a millimeter may be sufficient to permit air to enter between the inner surface of the container bottom part and the adjacent product.

Containers according to the invention may have any shape since the solution of the above object as proposed in accordance with the invention is independent of the selected container shape. However, if the container bottom part has essentially the shape of a cuboid, it is advantageous to form the thin-walled zone on at least a small front end wall of the container bottom part.

The thin-walled zone itself may have any suitable geometric structure with respect to the area of the zone and the limits of the zone as long as the mechanical and thermal overall stability of the lower container part is ensured. It is however particularly advantageous, if the thin-walled zone is in the form of strips extending essentially from the bottom of the container bottom part up to the area of the opening of the container bottom part. Such a configuration of the thin-walled zone has the advantage that the thin-walled zone remains limited to the size as needed for use of the container in the sense of the invention, but the elastic deformation of such a thin-walled zone is always ensured and air can enter up to the bottom area of the container bottom part evenly spread across the bottom part so that the product is released also in this area. From there, the air can spread to the remaining parts of the wall of the container bottom part.

In certain embodiments of containers of the type with which the present invention is concerned, the container bottom part includes a collar extending at least partially around the container bottom part—see for example EP 03 010 270.1, which has not been published yet. Such a collar has a stabilizing effect on the lower container part and also serves for example for the mounting of an upper container part, that is a container lid, which can be removed from the container bottom part for opening the container. This collar which increases the stability of the container bottom part however may be an obstacle as far as the deformability of the lower container part is concerned. In order to counteract the smaller deformability of the lower container part in thin-walled zone thereof, the collar is at least partially slotted in the area of the thin-walled zone so that, in this part of the collar of the lower container part, the deformability of the lower container part is ensured as if the lower container part would not have such a circumferential collar.

The lower container part may consist of any suitable material, but it is advantageous if it consists of a plastic material, preferably polypropylene, so that it can be injection-molded. But also other plastic materials may be used and also compound materials may be used. Furthermore compound materials of plastic including reinforcement materials may be used. Even metallic materials may be used as well as suitably shaped and possibly impregnated paper or cardboard materials.

Basically, the principle according to the invention is independent of the lid which is provided for covering and closing the container bottom part. The provisions of a lid which is required for many products in the area of food products that can easily be spoiled has the advantage that a container top part in the form of a container lid, which is removable for opening the container bottom part, can be re-attached to the container bottom part, thereby to prevent access of germs and other contaminations also during storage of the container in the refrigerator. A container top part in the form of a container has, in co-operation with the lower container part, the advantage that, in an upside down position of the container, the product can be supported on the container lid which can be used in this way as a presentation support plate for the product. By placing the container bottom part again over the cover on which the product is disposed, the product can again be transferred into the container bottom part without touching the product.

Below the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a container in a longitudinal sectional view taken along line AB of FIG. 2,

FIG. 2 is a top view of a container including a container top part and a container bottom part,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container consisting of a container top part and a container bottom part wherein a solid product (not visible) is contained in the container bottom part,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a container as shown in FIG. 3, wherein the container bottom part is partially removed from the container top part by tilting so that the product contained in the container bottom part is partially visible, and

FIG. 5 shows, in a perspective view, a container bottom part without the container top part wherein, at the front sides of the essentially cuboid-shaped container bottom part, thin-walled zones are present which are in the form of strips.

DESCRIPTION OF A PARTICULAR EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 to 4 show a container 10 which comprises a container bottom part 12 and a container top part 13 in the form of a container lid. Such containers 10 are known for packaging products 11 which are essentially solid at room temperature, particularly food products. A typical representative of such a product 11 is for example solid lever pate, which, after being filled into the container 12 and a subsequent thermal treatment, forms in the container bottom part a solid product which can be cut into pieces.

Since such a container 10 or, respectively container bottom part 12 and, if present, container top part 13, is generally known in its basic design and described in EP 3 010 270.1, it does not have to be described here, in detail.

Particularly FIGS. 1 and 3 show a container 10 in which the product 11 is contained after having been filled into the container and thermally treated. Because of the thermal treatment, the product 11 has such a consistency that it is disposed in the container 12 as an essentially solid body. Then the container 10 can be positioned upside down as it is shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 or in a normal position as shown in FIG. 5. There however the container bottom part is shown without the product 11 to show the features of the container bottom part 12.

The container bottom part 12, see FIG. 5, comprises two zones 14 which are strip-shaped and extend essentially from the bottom 18 of the container bottom part 12 to the area of the opening 13 of the container bottom part 12. These zones 14 include wall areas 150 of, with respect to the other wall areas 15, reduced thickness which are more easily deformable than the other wall 15 of the container bottom part 12. The thin-walled zones 150 are formed in the shown embodiment at the small front ends 17 of the container bottom part 12 of the container 10 which is shown in FIG. 5, essentially in the form of a cuboid. The zones 14 with the thin walls 150 however may also be disposed at any other suitable location of the wall 15 of the container bottom part 12 and several zones 14 of thin wall areas 150 may expediently provided for a container bottom part.

If the product 11 which is disposed in the container bottom part 12 is to be removed, the container bottom part 12 is grasped for example by the pointing finger and the thumb as indicated by the arrows 20, 21 in FIG. 3 and a force is applied to the side walls of the container bottom part 12 in the direction of the arrows 20, 21. As the force is passed through the container wall material the front sides 17 of the container bottom part 12 are significantly more deformed than the other walls 15 since the front walls 17 include the thin-walled zones 15. The front walls 17—in FIG. 3, only one front wall is designated—are therefore elastically deformed outwardly in the direction of the arrow 22. As a result, the inner surface of the container bottom part 12 is slightly lifted at these locations off the adjacent surfaces of the product 11 for example by up to about 1 mm over the normal position of the wall of the container bottom part 12 so that air can flow into the gap formed between the container bottom part 12 and the product 11 and be distributed or expanded at least partially over the inner surface of the container bottom part 12 and advance into the bottom areas so that that the product 12 is released from the inner surface of the container bottom part 12. Subsequently, the container bottom part 12 can be either tilted up or removed essentially vertically upwardly in accordance with the arrow 23, see FIG. 4.

If the container 10 also includes a container top part 13 in the form of a container lid, the container top part 13 can be grasped for example at a handle 130 provided thereon so that the container bottom part 12 can easily be tilted up by the user in the direction of the arrow 23.

The container bottom part 12 may include for example a circumferential collar 120—see FIGS. 2 to 5. The area of the collar 120 adjacent the thin-walled zone 150 may include a plurality of slots 173 which facilitate an elastic deformation of the thin-walled zones.

If, after the use of the product 11, it is again to be enclosed in the container 10, the container bottom part 12 is reattached upside down to the container top part 13 in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow 23 of FIG. 4 over the product 11 disposed on the container lid and is then deposited in this position at a storage location for example in a refrigerator. Of course the container may also be stored in the opposite position that is with the container bottom part disposed at the bottom and the container top part disposed on top, that is turned over from the position shown in FIGS. 1-3. 

1. A container (10) for deformable products (11) which, at room temperature, are essentially solid, particularly food products, comprising an essentially bowl-shaped container bottom part (12) for receiving the product (11) the container bottom part (12) including in a wall (15) thereof a zone (14) which is more easily deformable then the rest of the wall areas of the container bottom part (12).
 2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the zone (14) of the reduced thickness in the wall zone (14) which is more easily deformable, is so formed so as to be deformed elastically outwardly when the forces are applied to the outside (16) of the container wall.
 3. A container according to claim 2, wherein the zone (14) of the wall (150) has a reduced thickness which is less than that of the rest of the container bottom wall (15) for obtaining the good deformability of the at least one zone.
 4. A container according to claim 3, wherein the zone (14) of reduced thickness of the wall (15) has a thickness of about 50% of the rest of the wall of the container bottom part (12).
 5. A container according to claim 1, wherein the zone (14) of reduced thickness of the wall (15) has a thickness of 30 to 70% of the rest of the container wall (15).
 6. A container according to claim 3, wherein the wall zones (14) of reduced thickness are deformable so as to be lifted off the product up to about 1 mm with respect to the normal position of the wall (15) of the container bottom part (12).
 7. A container according to claim 3, wherein the zone (14) of reduced wall thickness is disposed on at least one of the front sides (17) of the container bottom part (12) which is essentially in the form of a cuboid.
 8. A container according to claim 3, wherein the reduced thickness wall area (150) is in the form of strips which extend essentially from bottom (15) of the container bottom part (12) to the opening (19) of the container bottom part (12).
 9. A container according to claim 1, wherein the container (10) includes a container top part (13) with a circumferential collar (130) extending at least partially around the container top part (13) and being provided with slots (131).
 10. A container according to claim 1, wherein, for opening the container bottom part (12), the container top part (13) is fully removable from the container bottom part (12).
 11. A container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the container bottom part (12) and the container top part (13) consists of a plastic material with which the container parts can be manufactured by injection molding.
 12. A container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the container bottom part (12) and the container top part (13) consists of polypropylene. 